Borneo and the Indian Archipelago with Drawings of Costumes and Scenery, By Frank S. Marryat, late midshipman from H.M.S. Samarang, surveying vessel. Published by Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, Paternoster-Row, London, 1848. First Edition. 4to up to 12″ tall; Pp. (4), [v]-viii,[1]-232, colour chromolithograph frontispiece, colour-illustrated engraved title page, 20 leaves of chromolithograph plates, 37 woodcuts to text. Bound in burgundy half leather with marble paper over boards; banded spine with gilt titles; endpapers and all edges marbled. Contents are in near fine condition with an occasional light thumb mark and very light toning; Cornell University label to pastedown. Boards have surface rubbing to marbled paper, front hinge and joint professionally repaired; rubbing to corners and edges.
A collection of drawings made on the last surveying cruise of the H.M.S. Samarang in 1843-46, under the command of Captain Belcher, with an engaging narrative description of people and places such as Hong Kong, the Island of Poo-Too, Borneo, Bruni, Manilla, Singapore and Sarawak. The author was the son of Naval Officer and novelist Captain Marryat, a pioneer of the sea story through popular works such as “Mr. Midshipman Easy” (1836), “The Pirate” (1836) and “The Phantom Ship” (1839).
